Jalen Brunson is New York Knicks Build the best team possible. Brunson and the Knicks agreed to a four-year, $156 million contract extension on Friday. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski,Brunson could have signed an extension through next year for another $113 million if he wanted to. The point guard would have been eligible to sign a five-year, $270 million extension after the 2024-2025 season.
Brunson’s contract includes a fourth-year player option, giving him the opportunity to extend for a larger amount in a few years, but there’s no guarantee he’ll still be playing at his highest level at that point, and the Knicks are under no obligation to offer it.
It’s an unprecedented move for a star player and a way for the Knicks to continue replenishing the team with talent in the second apron era.
Brunson is sacrificing tens of millions of dollars per year to give the Knicks more flexibility in how they build their team. This chart from Wojnarowski compares the contract Brunson accepted to the one he could have signed next year.
“One of Brunson’s big motivations in all of this was that he wanted to put the Knicks in the best position possible to build this roster as they compete for a championship,” reporter Ian Begley said. After Brunson signed his contract extension,With championship-contenders giving up quality players to avoid the dreaded Tier 2 luxury tax penalty under the league’s new CBA, Brunson’s contract is nothing short of a huge gift to the Knicks.
The Knicks deserve credit for creating an environment where Brunson felt happy and valued. The Knicks made Brunson’s dream of a full reunion with his college teammates a reality this year by trading five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges. Villanova The foursome of Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo won big national championships at the collegiate level in 2016 and 2018 and now have a chance to do the same in the NBA.
Brunson could potentially sign a supermax deal with the Knicks after his 10th season in the NBA. It sounds good in theory and (to borrow a favorite Brunson phrase) it would definitely be a deal. The atmosphere right now is greatKeep in mind that a lot can happen in a few years.
Jalen Brunson can decline his player option in 2028 and re-sign his contract for up to five years at a projected value of $418 million.
This projects to be up to 35% of players with 10 years of service in 2028.
Alternatively, he could opt out of the deal in 2028 and sign a four-year, $254 million extension.
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) July 12, 2024
Isaiah Thomas once said: Boston Celtics “Get the blinkers on,” Thomas declared, expecting a max extension offer from the team. But Thomas played through a hip injury that was worse than he initially expected and never got the big bucks he thought he was getting after acquiring him in the Kyrie Irving trade. Here’s a timeline of how Thomas went from max player to minimum player starting in 2019.
The similarity between Brunson and Thomas is that they are both undersized, scoring guards, and of course, Brunson will make more in the first year of this deal than Thomas has in his entire career (Thomas made $34.7 million in the NBA, but that’s a lot of money). According to Basketball Reference:).
Brunson turns 28 in August. He was 10th in total NBA minutes played last season under coach Tom Thibodeau.
Below is the Knicks’ statement on Brunson’s signing, with Knicks president Leon Rose noting Brunson’s “dedication and passion” for the team and city.
NYK President Leon Rose said this about Jalen Brunson in a statement: “Jalen’s signing a contract extension to stay with the Knicks long-term is a testament to the commitment and passion he has for the organization, our fans and this city.” Read the full press release about Brunson’s four-year, $156 million contract extension: pic.twitter.com/krSfJubAhW
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) July 12, 2024
Wojnarowski said Branson was an influence. The team’s favorable contracts, accepted by Tom Brady, Derek Jeter and Patrick Mahomes, have allowed the team to maintain a championship-caliber team. The fact that Brunson is the son of former NBA player Rick Brunson probably helps, too. He had no trouble with money growing up; Brunson’s father is also on the Knicks staff as an assistant coach.
With the second apron penalty looming in the new CBA, one would think Brunson would not have accepted the deal. How would the players’ union feel about Brunson’s new $100 million+ pay cut? The tougher luxury tax is intended to ensure parity across the league, not to slash player salaries to help owners.
Either way, Brunson has a dream situation in New York, starring on a great team surrounded by his college teammates. He’s not likely to find the same personal fulfillment anywhere else. What’s it worth? For Brunson, about $113 million.
